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Amendment would create nominating committees for NMSU regents

SANTA FE, NM >> State Rep. Jeff Steinborn and Sen. Bill Soules, both D-Las Cruces, have introduced legislation seeking to change the selection process for university boards of regents in New Mexico.

HJR 7 would establish bipartisan nominating committees at each of the state's universities that would send a list of recommendations to the governor from which the regents would be chosen. Regents are now selected by the governor with no screening process, and are often used to reward donors and political allies, the two lawmakers said.

The change is being introduced as a joint resolution to amend the state constitution. That means if would require voter approval if passed, but is not subject to veto by the governor.

"These nominating committees would ensure that we pick our best and brightest to run our universities, and we should embrace this positive step forward," Steinborn said.

"This is the type of education reform we can all embrace," Soules added. "We have nominating commissions for judges and interview committees for university presidents. We should follow the lead of the best universities in the country and establish nominating committees to help recommend top-notch regents."